Latch



April 11, 1939. R. F- PETERSON 2,153,937

LATCH Filed Feb. 8, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 By flzmwlizm :1 fiornqus R. F. PETERSON April 11, 1939.

LATCH Filed Feb. 8, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Inventor fldberzffeaerio 7a,

Attorneys Patented Apr. 11, 1939 UNITED, STATES PATENT OFFICE one-half to L. F. Buck, Rush City, Minn.

Application February 8, 1938, Serial No. 189,439

1 Claim.

This invention relates to closure fasteners and more particularly to a door latch.

An object of the invention is to provide a latch which will be positive and efficient in operation and which may be readily mounted on a door so as to be easily operated from the outer side of the door.

A further object of the invention is to provide means cooperable with the latch for releasably securing the door, equipped with the latch, in an open position.

The invention together with its objects and advantages will be best understood from a study of the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:-

Figure 1 is an elevational view illustrating the application of the invention and with the door closed,

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the latch with the door and associated parts of a building structure in section,

Figure 3 is an elevational view of the latch and viewing the same from the inner side of the door,

Figure 4 is a plan view of a spring forming part of the latch,

Figure 5 is an exploded view showing certain details hereinafter more fully referred to, and

Figure 6 is a detail view partly in section and partly in elevation and illustrating a detent assembly hereinafter more fully referred to.

In accordance with the present invention I mount on the outer side of a door or other closure 5, a substantially U-shaped handle 6 that is provided with attaching flanges I through the medium of which and bolts 8 the handle 6 is secured to the door 5. Spacer blocks, if desired, and incheated by the reference numeral 9 are interposed between the attaching flanges I of handle 6 and the door 5.

Operable through an opening l provided therefor in the door is a latch rod II that on its outer end is equipped with a suitable handle 12.

At the inner end thereof the latch rod II is curved and merges into a pair of ears l3 between which is pivoted as at l4 the ear-equipped end E5 of a link 56. Also pivoted to the rod II and the link It through the medium of the pivot I4 is one end of the latch bolt H.

The latch bolt ll embodies a relatively straight arm having a portion thereof offset to provide a shoulder l8 that merges into a second arm l9 that is arcuate, and at the terminal thereof arm I9 is accommodated between the ears l5 of link It and is pivoted as at M to the rod H and link l6.

Mounted on the inner side of the door 5 and secured thereto through the medium of the aforementioned bolts 8 is a substantially U-shaped frame that is slotted as at 2| to accommodate the link I6 and the arm IQ of the latch bolt ll as clearly shown in Figure 2.

At the free end of the first-mentioned arm thereof the latch bolt I1 is pivoted to the attaching flange 22 of frame 20 as at 23.

The latch bolt is normally urged to a projected position, that is to a position for engaging with a suitable keeper 24 for securing the door in closed position through the medium of a spring 25.

The spring 25, as shown in Figure 4, is in the form of an oblong plate which at one end is bifurcated as at 26 to accommodate a hinge lug 2'! provided on the frame 20 and to which lug is pivoted as at 28 a link 29 that is in turn pivoted to the link l6 as at 30.

At the end thereof remote from the furcation 26 spring bears against the pivot 30 connecting links l6 and 29, and as clearly shown in Figure 2, thus acting on the link IS in a manner to urge the latch bolt I! to a projected position.

In Figure 2 the door is shown, in full line, in fully closed position. Obviously, to open the door from the outside, the operator pulls outwardly on the handle l2 causing the latch rod II to move outwardly through the opening I!) and consequently the latch bolt I! to swing in a counterclockwise direction on the pivot 23 and against the action of spring 25, and out of engagement with the keeper 24 thus freeing the door so that the latter may be readily swung to an open position.

Obviously, when the door is swung to a closed position the latch will automatically engage with the keeper 24 in response to the action of the spring 25.

For holding the door 5 in an open position, I suitably mount on the wall 4 of the building a bracket 32 to which is pivoted as at 33 a detent 34 that is normally urged upwardly to the position shown in Figure 6 through the medium of a spring 35 as illustrated in said Figure 6.

It will thus be seen that when the door 5 is swung back to the dotted line position shown in Figure 2, handle 6 will engage the detent 34 causing the latter to swing downwardly against the action of spring 35 until detent 34 is cleared, whereupon the detent, under action of spring 35 will swing upwardly to engage the handle 6 in the notch 36 thereof.

It is thought that a clear understanding of the construction, utility and advantages of a latch of this character will be had without a more detailed description.

Having thus described the invention what is claimed as new is:-

In a latch of the character described, a frame structure adapted to be mounted on a closure, a latch member hinged at one end thereof to the frame, a latch rod adapted to move laterally relative to the frame through an opening in the closure and provided at one end with a handle, said latch rod at the end thereof remote from said handle being pivoted to said bolt, a link pivoted at one end thereof to said bolt and latch rod at the pivotal connection between said bolt and latch rod, a second link pivoted at one end thereof to said frame and at an opposite end thereof pivoted to the first-mentioned link, and a spring device bearing at one end thereof on said frame at the point of pivotal connection between the frame and the second-mentioned link, said spring at the opposite end thereof engaging the pivotal connection between the first and second-mentioned links and acting thereon in a manner to normally urge the bolt, resiliently, in one direction, relative to the frame.

ROBERT F. PETERSON. 

